Saturday, September 18, 2010

Trumbull All-County H. S. Orchestra and Chorus, December, 1932

Trumbull All-County H. S. Orchestra and Chorus

Christmas Cantata - Warren, Ohio - December 23, 1932

Charles Neil Starr - Conductor

This photograph is amazing to me. I found it (again) in my mom's box of photos and papers and decided to scan it so I could look at the details. It is nearly 78 years old. The original is about 8" x 10" and the faces are miniscule. I was pleased to be able to enlarge it, though what I found was that the faces in the foreground are very clear while those after about the fourth row of the chorus begin to look blurry. It gets harder to recognize the faces with each row. (You may have to click on the photo to enlarge it enough to see the faces.) What kind of camera would have been used to take this photo? Would it have been possible to have everyone in focus with such a large group?

Despite the blurr, I recognize at least one Mineral Ridge student in this photo: my mom, Audrey Meinzen. She is in the 3rd row from the back, 2nd from the left side of the photo. She was a senior during the 1932-33 school year. She must have felt honored to have been chosen to sing with this chorus. I remember sitting beside her occasional Sundays in church and thinking what a beautiful voice she had, so it's no suprise to me that she would have been chosen.

Look at the students in the orchestra. Don't you think many of them look older than 18? Maybe students matured earlier in 1932. It was just several years after the Great Depression began and perhaps it was necessity that they took on the responsiblities of adults earlier than our youth these days.

If there are any Mineral Ridge, Ohio, readers of this post who have ancestors who were in the Ridge in 1932, perhaps you will find a parent or grandparent in the group. Post a comment and tell me who you found.

This is my Sepia Saturday contribution for this week. Click on the highlighted Sepia Saturday to see who else posted this week.

Hi Nancy, what a great photo. I just love photos like this! With everyone dressed in formal attire, and the conductor in a tuxedo, it must have been a lovely occasion. What a great thing it is that you have this photo from your mom's past. Thanks for sharing it with us. Cheers! Jennifer

It is an amazing photograph for all of us. I too immediately enlarged it and became fascinated by the detail - particularly those faces in the orchestra. A photograph to jump-start a lorry load of memories.

This choir was made up of students from many small schools throughout the county. I believe that in order to participate students either had to audition or be recommended by their local school choir director. My mother graduated from her local school at the end of the school year this photo was taken. There were less than 2 dozen in her graduating class.

Hi Nancy -- I wonder if the orchestra could have been a community one rather than the school orchestra. Or maybe they just were prematurely "old" looking, like you speculated. But what a treat to be able to pick your mother out, even though she was in one of the "blurry" rows.

With regard to the tapestry, I think it is one long piece. As I thought about that, it seemed that fact would have created a lot of pressure in the stitchers to make sure every detail was just right. You'd hate to get to the last yard and make a mistake.

About Me

Sometimes I want to jump back in time, into the lives of my ancestors. Not to stay, of course -- too many modern conveniences I'd rather not do without -- but to meet them and watch their interactions with each other. Since I can't do that, I spend time learning about them and the times in which they lived. I look forward to meeting them. I've been seriously searching for my ancestors for nearly 8 years. I plan to continue indefinitely.
If you think we might have ancestors in common or you'd like to contact me for any other reason, please email me at myancestorsandme @ gmail.com.